Peco turnouts

[mmagliaro]

Had great luck with Peco code 80 years ago, but regretted the plastic frogs, which definitely caused stalling problems with short wheelbase engines.  Switched to ME code 55, powered the frogs, and now power the frogs on all Atlas 55.

I know you can get away without powering them, but why leave any stretch of rail, even 3/4" to an inch long, as dead rail on an N Scale layout?  That's just leaving money on the table.  We have enough pickup issues with such light engines and small contact surfaces.  Why add to the trouble on purpose?   I probably see the frog issue more pessimistically because I run some short wheelbase steam locos, which are the most vulnerable to a dead spot on the rails.

[davefoxx]

I too am a confirmed Peco user, would never use anything else.  I bought a gorgeous Atlas curved turnout once... maybe it's because I'm so used to Peco's robustness but calling the Atlas "delicate" is an understatement; I wrecked it the first time I cleaned the track.

What did you use to clean the track?  A sledge hammer? 

DFF

[CRL]

Had great luck with Peco code 80 years ago, but regretted the plastic frogs, which definitely caused stalling problems with short wheelbase engines.  Switched to ME code 55, powered the frogs, and now power the frogs on all Atlas 55.

I know you can get away without powering them, but why leave any stretch of rail, even 3/4" to an inch long, as dead rail on an N Scale layout?  That's just leaving money on the table.  We have enough pickup issues with such light engines and small contact surfaces.  Why add to the trouble on purpose?   I probably see the frog issue more pessimistically because I run some short wheelbase steam locos, which are the most vulnerable to a dead spot on the rails.

The Peco electro frog turnouts have live metal frogs. The insulfrog turnouts have short plastic frogs.

[Hansel]

My layout only has PECO C55 turnouts for the last 15 years and they work great!  The only gripe I have is that will get dirty and the points won't conduct electricity.  It is an easy fix to clean the points but it would be nice if I could figure out how to have a secondary path for the electricity to feed the points and the frog without tearing out the turnout and using either a frog juicer or a micro switch.

[MichaelWinicki]

No, I don't power all my frogs, but the ones I have powered–my yard for instance, just in case a visitor shows up with a short-wheel based loco they want to run, I use Hex-Frog Juicers.

They're costly but they work great! Plus they help keep the system from shorting out if a loco happens to run across the frog and the turnout is thrown the wrong direction– Not that that ever happens! 

On top of that if you're using manual throw turnouts you do not have to use slide switches or the huge-in-size Caboose Industry throws that also power the frog.

[rhwood]

I avoid plastic frogs--I have some European-prototype locomotives with a short enough wheelbase to get stuck on plastic frogs especially if the points have poor contact such that the length from frog to end of points is dead.

[robert3985]

Well...I'm going to the NMRA National Convention tomorrow specifically to talk to the Peco rep.  Gonna ask some questions and make some suggestions concerning "N-scale" track.  Decided to do something other than sit around and say "...if only...".  Don't expect any results from the conversation, but...ya never know!

...and, it'll be fun!

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[NtheBasement]

My layout only has PECO C55 turnouts for the last 15 years and they work great!  The only gripe I have is that will get dirty and the points won't conduct electricity.  It is an easy fix to clean the points but it would be nice if I could figure out how to have a secondary path for the electricity to feed the points and the frog without tearing out the turnout and using either a frog juicer or a micro switch.

You should be able to convert an already-laid Electrofrog to use SPDT throws (see above post) without tearing out any track.  You have to gap the inner rails somewhere near the frog (Dremel with cutoff wheel works well for this, and I gap the flex, not the turnout) and solder a jumper to the thus-isolated section.  Come to think of it, this should work on Insulfrogs too.

[Ron McF]

The new Peco C55 Unifrog turnouts are available only in #6's

For clarity, all three sizes of Peco C55 turnouts have the same 10 degree frog angle (approx. #6). Peco describes them as small, medium and large radius, and it is the medium radius turnout that is currently available with the Unifrog.

Regards,
Ron McF

[Point353]

I'm going to the NMRA National Convention tomorrow specifically to talk to the Peco rep. 
Gonna ask some questions and make some suggestions concerning "N-scale" track. 

Was the PECO rep receptive to your input?

[CRL]

One of the unique n scale products Peco offers (in code 80 only) is an operating Derail turnout (called a catch turnout in the catalogue). These are present on the prototype, but rarely modeled.

[peteski]

One of the unique n scale products Peco offers (in code 80 only) is an operating Derail turnout (called a catch turnout in the catalogue). These are present on the prototype, but rarely modeled.

And of course they make gorgeous  single- and double-slip switches.  They are pricey, but aren't even offered by Atlas or Micro Engineering.  And Peco version looks much more realistic than the toy-like ones made by Minitirx, Arnold, or Fleischmann (if those are even still available).

[Tom L]

Well...I'm going to the NMRA National Convention tomorrow specifically to talk to the Peco rep.  Gonna ask some questions and make some suggestions concerning "N-scale" track.  Decided to do something other than sit around and say "...if only...".  Don't expect any results from the conversation, but...ya never know!

...and, it'll be fun!

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

If they did an American track line in N, as they have in HO, I would start a new layout!

Tom L

[CRL]

For you modern era modelers, they also have concrete tie code 55 flex track. Don’t know how the tie spacing compares to USA prototype, but it’s available.

[Hansel]

In regards to the intermittent electrical pick up between the rails and points, I have contemplated place a small piece of wire about 1/2 way between the middle of the point and the rail, that way if the point is open the wire on the rail will not contact the point, but if the point is closed the wire on the rail will contact the point.  Thoughts?

Here is a cross section of my idea;
Open contact; I  _L   the "I" represents the point, the "_" represents the new wire, the "L" represents the rail

Closed contact; I_L